3 MS Dhoni feats Hardik Pandya can emulate in IPL 2023

Hardik Pandya led Gujarat Titans (GT) to victory against all odds in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season.

Not all cricket experts were convinced with the Gujarat franchise’s decision to name Indian all-rounder Hardik as skipper for their maiden season in the T20 league. The 29-year-old did not have much experience in leadership and wasn’t in great form with the bat as well.

The Team India all-rounder, however, led from the front and inspired Gujarat Titans to an unexpected title triumph in their first appearance in the IPL. Hardik was the leading run-getter for the team in IPL 2022, scoring 487 runs in 15 matches at an average of 44.27 and a strike rate of 131.27. With his medium pace, he claimed eight wickets at an average of 27.75 and an economy rate of 7.28.

Gujarat were impressively consistent right through the 2022 season. They topped the league stage with 20 points, winning 10 of their 14 games. In the playoffs, they hammered the Rajasthan Royals (RR) by seven wickets in the qualifier as well as in the final.

IPL 2023 will kick off with the Pandya-led GT taking on MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Friday, March 31. Incidentally, Dhoni was the Indian captain when the all-rounder made his India debut.

In this feature, we look at three Dhoni feats that Pandya can emulate in IPL 2023.

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#1 Winning back-to-back IPL titles as captain

Gujarat Titans skipper Hardik Pandya. Pic: BCCI

Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings to victory in consecutive IPL seasons in 2010 and 2011. In 2010, Suresh Raina scored an unbeaten 57 off 35 balls as CSK beat the Mumbai Indians by 22 runs in the final at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Mumbai. This was Chennai’s maiden win in the IPL.

In the 2011 IPL final, CSK openers Murali Vijay (95 off 52) and Michael Hussey (63 off 45) played terrific knocks as Dhoni and Co. hammered Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 58 runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Batting first, the Super Kings put up 205/5 on the board and then held RCB to 147/8.

In their maiden appearance in the IPL final last year, Gujarat Titans beat the Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Hardik was the Player of the Match for his stellar all-round effort. He claimed 3/17 with the ball, dismissing Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, and Shimron Hetmyer. The right-handed batter then contributed 34 with the bat as Gujarat chased down 131 in 18.1 overs.

If Hardik manages to lead GT to victory in IPL 2023 again, he will emulate MSD’s feat of winning consecutive IPL titles.

Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma also led his franchise to successive wins in 2019 and 2020. Incidentally, Pandya was part of those squads as a player.

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#2 Leading the team into the playoffs in the first two seasons

Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni. Pic: BCCI

CSK, under Dhoni's captaincy, have featured in 13 of the 15 IPL editions played so far. They were suspended in 2016 and 2017 over a betting scandal. Chennai featured in the inaugural edition in 2008 and finished runners-up. CSK went down against the Rajasthan Royals in a thrilling final at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Mumbai.

Batting first, the Chennai Super Kings put up 163/5 on the board as Raina scored 43 off 30 and Dhoni 29* off 17. Rajasthan got home off the last ball with three wickets in hand, as Yusuf Pathan starred with 56 of 39 balls, while Shane Warne (9*) and Sohail Tanvir (9*) played crucial cameos.

Chennai reached the semi-finals the following season in 2009. They took on Royal Challengers Bangalore in the knockout clash at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. CSK were, however, held to 146/5, a target RCB chased down in 18.5 overs.

If Gujarat reach the playoffs this season, Hardik can replicate Dhoni's success by leading his team to the playoffs in the franchise’s first two editions in the IPL.

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#3 Appearing in more than five IPL finals

CSK and GT captains during IPL 2022. Pic: BCCI

If Hardik guides Gujarat Titans to the Indian Premier League 2023 final, he will join Dhoni among players who have featured in more than five IPL finals.

The all-rounder was part of the Mumbai Indians from 2015 to 2021. He won four titles as a player with MI - in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. Hardik's fifth appearance in the final came last year when he led GT to victory.

Dhoni has featured in as many as 10 IPL finals - nine with CSK and one with Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS). CSK were runners-up in 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2019.

Dhoni led Chennai to victory in the T20 league in 2010, 2011, 2018, and 2021. Further, he was part of the Rising Pune Supergiant squad that went down to Mumbai Indians by 1 run in the 2017 final.

Apart from Dhoni, Team India and MI skipper Rohit has featured in six IPL finals. He was part of the Deccan Chargers team that lifted the title in 2009. The 'Hitman' subsequently guided the Mumbai Indians to five IPL triumphs as captain.